Thank You for the Broken Heart
by SirensCalling
Summary: High School AU! Broken hearts bring two unlikely souls together. Kara is broken-hearted after witnessing her ex-has moved on. Fleeing her best friends party she runs into the most unlikely person to offer her kind words.


_High School AU! I've tweaked the age difference to make it more acceptable. Yes, this is Crisis on Earth X's fault but no this isn't Nazi Kara and Oliver. They're the same good people we love. And also I ship Olicity and Karamel so don't shoot me for indulging in this ship that gave me so many feels. Kara and Thea are 18 and Oliver is 22. I am not here to demonize characters. And please only read if you want to enjoy the piece. I hope you all enjoy._

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"Kara," Thea Queen clasped her best friend's arm, bringing the blond girl to a halt in her descent down the stairs. Thea towered over her on the top step-a comedic thought seeing as Kara had three inches on Thea's five foot five. Thea's petite elfin features were drawn in a pained expression her green eyes beseeching as she pulled her friend closer in order to be heard over the pounding music and buzz of chatter from the odd five dozen teenagers that had shown up for the annual Queen back to school extravaganza.

The next words from Thea's lips brought Kara's heart to still.

"Mon's here."

If Thea had punched her in the chest, Kara would not be nearly as flabbergasted. Her mouth felt like sandpaper, the room was too hot, there were too many people; Kara could barely breathe. Her eyes moved away from her friend and out into the thriving crowd of teenage bodies. Somehow, Kara's gaze instantly fell upon Mon. In a whole year, the change in her former beau was staggering-he had a beard. But his physical changes weren't the only thing that Kara noticed; her gaze moved to the girl in his arms. She was Kara's exact opposite. Where Kara was tall and lithe with blond hair and blue eyes, this girl was petite and curvaceous with dark hair, her eyes a striking shade of hazel. Mon pulled the girl into his body-he towered over the small girl and brought his lips down on hers'.

Tears blurred her vision. Fight or flight instinct took over her body's ability to move and next Kara knew she was tearing her arm from Thea's grasp. She pushed her way unthinkingly through the crowd, the thumping music drowning out Thea's pleas for Kara to come back. All she knew is that she couldn't be here. In her haste to escape, Kara pummeled into a very surprised Barry Allen and Iris West. Iris took instant notice of Kara's distressed state, her dark chocolate eyes filled with concern.

"Kara, honey, what's wrong, " Iris asked, reaching out to pull Kara closer.

Barry moved in, his tall frame acting as a wall to the outside world as he looked down into Kara's tear-stained face.

"Kara, what happened?"

Kara could only shake her head, blond curls bouncing with her jerky movements. Her voice betrayed her as she choked out a single word.

"Mon, " it came out strangled and broken as a new slew of tears rained down her face. Kara pushed aside her glasses and buried her face in her hands, shame, and embarrassment. Why was she being so hysterical? It had been a whole year since their forced break up.

Montgomery Daxam was everything a seventeen-year-old Kara could dream of for a boyfriend. Athletic, tall, charming and in her eyes, he had been the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. His family's riches rivaled the Queens, but his mother wasn't nearly as loving and understanding as Moira Queen. Rhea had taken an instantaneous disliking to Kara-she was the adoptive daughter of two doctors but had no influence or important ties. For a time Kara and Mon had ignored his mother's harsh judgments and for several blissful months, they had been happy. But Mon was a senior and Rhea had come up with the best way of keeping the two apart; college.

The Daxam family was very influential and before school had even let out, Mon was accepted to a university in England.

Kara took in a haggard breath, wiping the tears from her face on the sleeve of her sweater. Barry looked torn between confusion and concern, his pained puppy expression in full force. Iris reached for her, laying a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

"Kara . . . I'm so sorry," Iris began but Kara shook her head dismissing her next words.

"It's fine, " she gave a watery laugh, pushing a curl behind her ear. "I'm fine. It's been a year. I-I don't care what he does."

Iris tried to speak but Kara was already moving away from the couple.

"I-I'm gonna go home, tell Thea I'm sorry, " and before either of them could stop her she bolted.

Kara was almost to her car when she realized she was missing something pretty important. Her purse was upstairs in Thea's room. For five serious minutes, Kara really contemplated walking home-but the Danvers house was in the suburbs while the Queen Mansion had its own acreage of private property outside the city. Kara probably wouldn't make it home till sunrise. Kara was resigned to sneak her way back inside the house.

"Kara?"

Kara turned to see Thea's older brother Oliver. He moved towards her across the gravel courtyard, his gaze fitting around-Kara could only guess in search of his sister, who was forever attached to Kara's side.

"H-hi, Oliver, " Kara struggled to get her breathing under control, keeping her voice free of any telltale trembling. "Thea's inside-"

Oliver had reached her, he too had changed from the last time she'd seen him. Of course, that had been over two years ago when he'd first departed for college. He'd always made his excuses about why he couldn't come home for the summer or holidays due to his ongoing search of life's most decadent offerings-be it women, cars or adrenalin rushes. His lanky frame had filled out, though he had always been athletic his frame had really filled out. He'd also cut his hair. Gone were the longish locks of dark blond, now his hair was shaved short. He wore a simple grey t-shirt and dark emerald hoodie with jeans.

"What're you doing out here, it's freezing, " Oliver admonished.

Kara was taken aback by Oliver's concern. Growing up, he had always acted as though she and Thea were no more than a loud annoyance, that was beneath his notice more often than not.

"I was trying to go home, " she explained motioning to her little dark blue bug.

Oliver cracked a smile. "Hard to believe you're old enough to drive, Danvers."

Kara rolled her eyes. "I've been driving since I was thirteen if you can remember. You were pretty drunk when you offered to give me and Thea our first 'driving lesson'."

Oliver's smile turned a tad sheepish. "I have a small recollection of you taking out a garden gnome or two."

The memory brought a smile to Kara's own face. "May they rest in pieces. Lillian Luthor still thinks it was Tommy and Alex."

"Wouldn't be Tommy's first act against the Luthors."

Tommy Merlin had had a keen dislike for the Luthors and their children since they'd moved into the property near the Queen estate. Lex and Lena Luthor both attended the same private school Tommy, Oliver and Thea had attended.

The laughter subsided between them, Oliver's expression turning somber.

"Why are you trying to go home on a Friday night, during the biggest party of the year, when it's barely nine?"

Kara leaned against the door of her car, crossing her arms over her chest as she gazed down at her plain black flats.

"Did you and Thea have a fight . . . ?"

"No, nothing like that, " Kara denied quickly.

"Then why are you trying to run away?"

"Because-, " Kara snapped before she could check her anger. She took a calming breath. "There's someone inside I don't want to see."

"Ah, " Oliver sighed, as he came to stand beside her. "A male someone?"

Kara gave him an incredulous look. "Why do you care about it, Oliver? Yes, it is a guy I'm avoiding. It's . . . Complicated."

Oliver nodded as he pushed his hands into his pockets. "I know a thing or two about complicated."

And Oliver did. Especially complicated relationships. He'd dated both Lance sisters which caused a slew of drama in their family. Oliver seemed to gravitate towards complicated.

"Mon and I, " Kara paused, sighing heavily. "We never got any closure. His family. . . hated me for whatever reason. I wasn't what they wanted for him. Like, I wasn't good enough."

Tears blurred her vision again. She tore her glasses off her face, to press the heel of her hand against her eyelids willing them to stop.

"They broke us up. They sent him to another country, took away every means of communication we had. For a whole year, I wondered. . . Was he okay, did he think about me, did he miss me? And now he's here, he's back and I was so happy to see him. It was like, the world was back in color, " Kara knew she was babbling but the words were burning inside her like a furnace. "And he-he has someone else, Oliver. He moved on. And he looked, Oliver, he loved so happy. Even though it wasn't me he was with."

What Oliver did next was more shocking than seeing Mon with that other girl; he hugged her. His body was warm, Kara hadn't realized how cold she really was. She fell into his embrace, burying her face in the material of his shirt, he smelled like his usual cologne-lemon, ginger, and cardamon. His hand brushed the back of her head, sweeping down her curls.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that Kara, I really am."

Kara sniffled loudly, moving away from Oliver's comforting touch. "I'm a real mess, aren't I?"

Oliver regarded her closely, his bewitching green eyes moving over from head to toe. Kara became very self-conscious of her blotchy complexion, bloodshot eyes, and disheveled attire. But Oliver didn't see any of that. He saw a girl with wild curls, and star fire blue eyes that had shed too many tears in one night.

"No, " he answered finally. "Not a mess."

Kara sighed, brushing her hand against her face before returning her glasses to her face. "I really just want to go home."

"Okay, " Oliver said, making her by the arm and pulling her after him. "Let's go."

"Oliver, I have my own car-I just left my keys in Thea's bedroom."

Oliver dismissed her comment. "Even if you had your keys I wouldn't feel comfortable letting you drive in the state you're in. The first thing I taught you two is never to drive when you're over emotional."

Kara gave a snort. "Again, you were drunk."

"I never said lead by my example, " Oliver shot back cheekily. "I'll drive you home tonight, and Thea can bring your car to you in the morning. Besides, do you really want to go back in there?"

Kara was silent as she glanced back at the house. Laughter and music could still be heard even this far away. Her stomach sank at the thought of seeing Mon again. Turning away from the mansion, she followed Oliver and together they made their way to his car.

.

.

.

The beginning of the ride was a stretch of awkward silence, where only the hum of the engine and rush of the wind filled the air around them. Kara was wracked with embarrassment at her break down, why had she felt comforting to tell Oliver things she hadn't even been able to confess to Thea?

Kara licked her lips, swallowing hard. "I'm sorry. For-for back there."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for, Kara," Oliver told her as he turned down a road. "But if it makes you feel better, I can relate to what you're going through."

"How?" Kara asked skeptically. "Oliver Queen breaks hearts, he doesn't get his broken."

Oliver took his eyes off the road to regard her with those piercing green eyes. "Is that what you think of me? That my heart can't be broken?"

Kara thought back on their lives-Oliver had always had a girl on his arm since middle school. Never the same one for a month or so. Kara had witnessed the melancholic delirium that had befallen many of his exes after he had left them.

"I've never seen it, " Kara admitted. "So have you? Had your heart broken, I mean?"

Oliver was quiet, his gaze fixed on the road once more. "Yeah. Once."

Kara was intrigued, she could hardly imagine Oliver in love. In lust, sure, but love? It was such a big emotion that she couldn't seem to shove inside the small box she had crafted to fit Oliver Queen.

"Her name was-is Felicity Smoak. We shared a few classes. She was. . . different. Smart, hardworking and a much better person than I am, " Oliver smiled.

Kara's heart thundered in her chest as she looked at Oliver as he described this enigma of a woman who had apparently stolen his heart. He looked almost wistful, lost in a memory of the past. But there was a tinge of sadness in his eyes.

Oliver had really loved her.

"What happened?" Kara asked her voice a mere whisper.

Oliver blinked, his manner turning to stone like somber. "We didn't work out. Couldn't. We were too different, she couldn't accept the way I live my life."

"Oliver, " Kara said, drawing his attention to her. Their eyes met, Kara's faze conveying empathy. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, " Oliver dismissed her apology. "It was months ago."

Kara let the subject fall and instead turned on the radio. She pushed buttons until she came to conclude that there was nothing worth listening to on the air. Signing she opened the center console of his car and began rifling through his CD collection.

"You could just hook your phone into the aux cord, you don't have to resort to going back to archaic times."

Kara chuckled, as she continued her exploration. "CDs are hardly archaic. Besides, my phone is in my purse-"

"Which is in Thea's room, " Oliver concluded, laughing. "I'm surprised you left it behind. You're the school blogger. Didn't you want to document the night?"

Kara was slightly surprised Oliver recalled her love for writing and photography. Since she'd fished an old Polaroid camera from a thrift store at eleven she had been in a constant state of snapping pictures of everyone and thing that she newfound hobby had annoyed Oliver to no end since she was practically attached to Thea's hip, she was always at the mansion snapping pictures for the windows, the gardens and him. Throw the years he was constantly catching her in the act of taking his picture. Oliver had seriously considered throwing the camera in the pool more than once.

"I haven't been blogging that much lately. Or taking photos, " she admitted.

"What happened?"

"I just. . . Lost touch with it I guess. This year hasn't been the best."

"Because of Mon, " Oliver guessed as they came to a traffic light that turned yellow, then red.

Kara shook her head. "Not completely because of him, dad leaving didn't help."

Their community had been abuzz with the disappearance of Kara's father. Jeremiah Danvers had disappeared in the middle of the night last June. No note or explanation or clue; he was simply gone.

Oliver's throat tightened. He had avoided coming home to Starling for so long and he'd missed so much. Of course, his mother's nightly phone calls had informed him of everything that was going on at home, including Jeremiah Danvers' disappearance. He'd been shocked off course but besides that, he hadn't really thought about it. About Kara.

"I'm sorry about your dad, " he said quietly. "I know how hard it is."

"Is that why you didn't come home for so long, Ollie? Because of your dad?" Kara asked as she played with a CD case. She hadn't used his family pet name in years.

The light turned green, and Oliver moved forward. He felt as though something was firmly lodged in his throat as he swallowed hard before answering.

"Part of it, yeah, " he said, though it was a half-truth.

"Does it help?" She asked before she lifted her gaze to meet his. "Does running away make it go away?"

Oliver gazed at her. It was there again, a look she'd had in her eyes since that day when he was fourteen and Thea had come home with Kara in tow for the first time. That look in her eyes that said she was far older than she looked. She wasn't ten anymore. And he wasn't the same asshole kid either.

"No, Kara, " he said solemnly. "It doesn't."

Kara sat up straight, her gaze moving away from him to the windshield. "Then what does?"

"From my experience, " Oliver began, "Talking about it. And time. Time helps a lot too. Things that seem so overwhelming and look minor tomorrow."

Kara smiled sadly. "You sound like him."

"Who?" Oliver asked, glancing from the road to her as he took another turn.

"That's my house there," Kara said instead of answering his question. He'd almost driven past the Danvers' cookie cutter two-story house. It looked the same as ever, minus Jeremiah's sedan that was normally in the drive. Now there was only Dr. Danvers' SUV.

Oliver slowed the car to a fault, pulling in front of her driveway. Kara began to unbuckle her seat belt before she slumped back in her seat in defeat.

"Dammit!"

Oliver's eyes widened in surprise. He couldn't remember ever having heard Kara curse before.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"My keys, " she huffed.

"Yeah, your car keys are in your purse, back home-"

Kara hastily cut him off. "Which have my house keys attached to it."

Oh. "Shit."

"Exactly, " Kara sighed heavily through her nose. "I'm sorry, Oliver, you drove me all the way here for nothing."

Oliver was quiet as he regarded her house quizzically. "Is the latch on your bedroom window still broken?"

Kara gauged his expression in confusion. "Uh, yes, dad never got around to fixing it-"

"Okay, give me five minutes," he said before he climbed out the car and bounded towards her house.

"Oliver?" she called, frowning as she watched him climb on the hood of her mothers grey SUV. Her eyes widened and she released a shocked gasp as he turned and grabbed the gutter of the house and hauled himself onto the roof. Kara was frozen as he walked to the left side of her house where an old white Adler tree grew beside her window.

"Oliver, no!" Kara hissed as she scrambled out the car. The limbs of the tree were surely too scrawny to support his weight. "Oliver get down!"

Oliver proceeded to ignore her pleas. He moved with a practiced grace and agility as he stealthily climbed the limbs up to her window, moving branch to branch without fear. Kara stared in wide-eyed disbelief as he climbed up to her window. With one arm wound around one of the tree's limbs, he reached out to her window. He made quick work of the busted latch and was inside in the blink of an eye.

What was he, a contestant for the American Ninja Warrior? Oliver had always been fit, but she had never known him to do gymnastics or whatever the hell that was.

"Kara."

Her attention was drawn to the front door where Oliver now stood. He smiled at her in his charming way.

"You coming in?"

Kara shook her head. "What-how did you, what even-?" Kara couldn't seem to string her words together, her tongue tripping over everyone she produced.

Oliver chuckled as he pulled her inside, shushing her with a gesture. "You're going to wake your mom."

Kara instantly clamped her mouth closed but continued to glare at him as she closed the front door as quietly as possible. How dare he be so calm when he just scaled her house like freaking spider-man?

Kara opened her mouth to scold him when there was the tapping on footfalls on the stairs. Panic overtook Kara as she grabbed Oliver roughly by the arm of his jacket and dragged him into the coat closet, sliding the door shut behind her as she forced both of them inside.

The closet was not spacious, her father's old winter coats had been shoved inside after his disappearance and the thick material took up more room. Oliver's back was to the wall, his left shoulder enveloped by coats while Kara did her best to tuck herself into his chest. Their hearts were pounding as the footsteps grew closer to their hiding spot. Kara can't see through the slits in the door that it was her mother. Her blond hair was piled up in a clip, and she wore her grey pajamas with her silk kimono robe wrapped around her.

"Weird, " her mother murmured as short turned the lock on the door. "Thought I locked that."

Kara felt Oliver's warm breath brushing against her cheek, and suddenly her attention was no longer on her mother. Oliver was looking down at her, the look on his face unreadable in the darkness. Shadows played across his face, making it a dramatic cast of darkness and the dim light that filtered in. It didn't matter though, because Kara was immobilized by the sudden surge of electricity that was rushing through her as she began to register just how close she was to Oliver in the enclosed space.

She felt his hands on her back, moving up to her neck. Their breathing was growing more ragged as his hand came to rest on her jaw, his thumb brushing against her full bottom lip.

"Ollie, " Kara gasped, her heart twisting in her chest as she felt him shift ever so slightly-he had maybe three or two inches on her, Kara had gone through quite a growth spurt in the last two years. If he wanted to all he'd have to do make their lips meet would be just a fraction of a movement and then . . . .

Kara tried to meet his gaze. Outside, her mother flicked on the kitchen light and the closet was washed with soft illumination. What Kara saw in his eyes made her mouth go dry. There was a darkness, a hunger that made Kara go dizzy. She tried to move away, but he held her fast, one arm still around her waist, anchoring her body to his. His face drew closer to hers' their breath mingling, their noses brushing against each other.

Kara was in utter chaos as she tried to focus on what was happening but it was like being on the tilt-a-whirl ride at the fair. She was utterly dizzy and drunk on how close Oliver was, his scent invading her senses.

"What-"

His mouth touched hers' softly before she could finish her sentence. She opened her mouth to object but his tongue stroked its way past her lips, drawing silkythat made all the doubts zipping through her head go silent. Sense and reason had vacated her mind and now there was only Oliver. Kara slipped into the kiss, losing herself in Oliver's taste-mint and something that was simply Oliver.

She couldn't get closer, and she couldn't put distance between them. Oliver had full control as his hand smoothed its way up her waist, grazing her sides, drawing more fire as he went. The stubble of his jaw grazing her skin as he adjusted his mouth so he could kiss her more deeply. Kara released a moan, desire running through her like wildfire. Before she could stop him, Oliver was pushing her body away from his. Oliver looked as winded and surprised as Kara felt. They looked at one another wordlessly. The spell was broken when the light in the kitchen went out. Washed in the blissful darkness Kara quickly pressed a trembling hand to her lips. What had just happened?

"She's gone," Oliver said thickly, wetting his lips. "I, I have to go."

Kara could only nod. Words were beyond her now. They slipped from the closet, neither willing to look at the other. Kara followed him to the door as he unlocked it, holding it open as he slipped out. Without thinking, Kara collapsed his hand, drawing him to a halt.

"Ollie, I-" she closed her eyes, mentally scolding herself for being incoherent. "Before, um, when I said you, uh, when I said you reminded me of him, it was your dad. You remind me of your dad."

Oliver stared at her, his expression unreadable.

"N-not in a creepy way, it's just, uh, you're turning into a great guy, uh, man. Grown up, " Kara babbled. God make the words stop!

She managed to close her lips, cheeks flaming with embarrassment. "Haveagoodnight."

Kara rushed to close the door but Oliver stopped her, refusing to release her hand, drawing her escape to a halt.

"Kara, " he said quietly, his gaze meeting hers'. "Thank you."

Before she could utter another word, he released her hand. He was enveloped in the cool autumn night, the door closing gently behind him.

Kara squeezed her hand against her chest, her other hand touching her lips where she could still feel the pressure of his lips.

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 _This is the longest chapter or whatever this is I have ever written. I want to continue this but who knows it might stay a wistful one shot. This pairing is just fun. I love the moody guy with the optimistic girl. And kara just deserves someone good okay? Please review!_


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